PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

I thought it would be tough work for Disconnect to top their last album, Enough Blame to Go Around?but apparently they were up to the task with Planned Obsolescence. All of the familiar trademarks are still there, but the keyboards seem to have taken a full time position in the band, and I for one, love it. The album opens with Unbroken?A solid opening track?and when a track as good as this opens an album, and it's the weakest song on the album, it's a testament to just how good the following material is. Following that we have the longest track on the album, I Am The Memory, clocking in at 17+ minutes. There's a great bit of keys in the middle of this song that gives it a bit of a Floydian atmosphere, and a great segue into the 2nd half of the song. Next up is Trennan, instrumental track #1, a great bit of musicianship that leads into my personal favorite, Relevance. A nice laid back opening, leading into one of the greatest odd time hooks I've ever heard. The 2nd instrumental track, The Pedestrian Hobbyist follows. It opens with what sounds like a review of Enough Blame?and from there, just explodes into one of their finest moments ever. I like the nice touch with the pretentious voice for the review. Closing the album is the title track and Reprieve. Planned Obsolescence is the kind of song I really love?a slow build to a great payoff and they couldn't have chosen a better track to end the album on than with Reprieve. Vintage Disconnect, alongside the ever increasing keys. Make sure to come back after the brief silence, as some of O'Dell's best work puts the finish on this great album. Have I mentioned that Disconnect has increased their keyboard contribution? That's not meant to say the album is over-bearing with keys?but they found the perfect balance to go along with their sound. Which speaking of, I think now truly is a Disconnect sound. The inspirations of King Crimson are still there, but much like Porcupine Tree did with their Floyd sound and made it their own?Disconnect has done the same.